This box was a present for an artist who's been looking to buy one for some time.

Since we couldn't find what we were looking for, we decided to go DIY.

This drawing table is appropriate for paper up to A4 size. It's also small enough to fit on your lap while drawing (if you're used to draw like that) and light enough to carry it around.

Dimensions:
350mm (L) x 250mm (W) x 150mm (H)

Step 1: Materials & Tools

Tools:
-knife or a smaller saw
-hammer (optional)
-glue for wood (we used Bison Kit Transparent)
-push pins
-smaller drill (optional)
-meter

Materials:
-1 pre-made wooden box (we bought ours at the china shop) - cca. 13€
-1 wooden frame (also china shop) - 3€
-1 PVC glass (addapt size to the size of the top of the box) - 4€
-1 set of LED lights (IKEA) - 15€ (bought 2nd hand)

Tot. for materials: 35€

Note: These are the M&T for the construction part and not decoration :) Also this was all stuff that was lying around. If you have a better equipped workshop you go ahead and adapt the process.

Step 2: Removing the Bottom of the Box

Considering that the components of the box were glued together we used a knife and a hammer to remove the bottom, where we would later put the PVC.

Step 3: Making the Support for the PVC Lid

Measure the inside of your box (where the bottom was). Then take your wooden frame and cut it into the length needed to later support the lid.

Glue the pieces of wood into the box. Keep in mind the thickness of the PVC, so you don't glue them too high/low into the box. The top of the finished product should be leveled (including the PVC).

Note: Because the cheap and fragile materials the glue was the best option, but we had to hold the pieces together very tightly until the glue dried completely.
If you buy the materials at a hardware store you could probably do the fixing part with nails.

Step 4: PVC Glass

We bought our piece at the local glass dealership. Don't forget to round the corners.

One of them can be more rounded than the other to make the glass easier to remove.

The size of the lid should be measured according to the inside of the box.

Step 5: Adding the LEDs

The LED bulbs are the best choice because they don't generate so much heat as regular bulbs. You can buy them in strips (like these), bulbs or flash lights.

Don't overdo it with the amount of bulbs, so the artist won't go blind :)

We used 4 27cm LEDs that came with the adapter and the switch.

We drilled a small hole for the cable to go through when the box is closed and pinned the rest of the cable to the walls of the box with push pins.

The LEDs were glued to the bottom (former box lid).

Step 6: Decoration

This step is completely optional and up to you.

For the decoration we chose a Welcome to Night Vale theme. We used Liquitex Basic acrylic colors and regular brushes with no varnish. Let's hope it lasts :) Choose a design that will inspire you.

ALL HAIL THE GLOW CLOUD!